23 Pa. C.S. § 6303
"Accept for service." Decide on the basis of the needs and problems of an individual to admit or receive the individual as a client of the agency or as required by a court order entered under 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63 (relating to juvenile matters).
"Adult." An individual 18 years of age or older.
"Adult family member." A person 18 years of age or older who has the responsibility to provide care or services to an individual with an intellectual disability or chronic psychiatric disability.
"Bodily injury." Impairment of physical condition or substantial pain.
"Child." An individual under 18 years of age.
"Child-care services." Includes any of the following:
The term does not apply to services provided by administrative or other support personnel unless the administrative or other support personnel has direct contact with children.
"Child protective services." Those services and activities provided by the Department of Public Welfare and each county agency for child abuse cases.
"Children's advocacy center." A local public agency in this Commonwealth or a not-for-profit entity incorporated in this Commonwealth which:
"Cooperation with an investigation or assessment." Includes, but is not limited to, a school or school district which permits authorized personnel from the Department or county agency to interview a student while the student is in attendance at school.
"County agency." The county children and youth social service agency established pursuant to section 405 of the act of June 24, 1937 (P.L. 2017, No. 396), known as the County Institution District Law, or its successor, and supervised by the Department under Article IX of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L. 31, No. 21), known as the Public Welfare Code.
"Department." The Department of Human Services of the Commonwealth.
"Direct contact with children." The care, supervision, guidance or control of children, or routine interaction with children.
"Direct volunteer contact." The care, supervision, guidance or control of children and routine interaction with children.
"Education enterprise." An educational activity in this Commonwealth:
"Electronic technologies." The transfer of information in whole or in part by technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, photo-electronic or photo-optical systems, or similar capabilities. The term includes, but is not limited to, e-mail, Internet communication or other means of electronic transmission.
"Expunge." To strike out or obliterate entirely so that the expunged information may not be stored, identified or later recovered by any mechanical or electronic means or otherwise.
"Family child-care home." A residence where child day care is provided at any time to no less than four children and no more than six children who are not relatives of the caregiver.
"Family members." Spouses, parents and children or other persons related by consanguinity or affinity.
"Founded report." A child abuse report involving a perpetrator that is made pursuant to this chapter, if any of the following applies:
"Founded report for school employee." [Deleted by 2014 Amendment]
"General protective services." Those services and activities provided by each county agency for cases requiring protective services, as defined by the department in regulations.
"Health care facility." As defined in section 802.1 of the act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), known as the Health Care Facilities Act.
"Health care provider." A licensed hospital or health care facility or person who is licensed, certified or otherwise regulated to provide health care services under the laws of this Commonwealth, including a physician, podiatrist, optometrist, psychologist, physical therapist, certified nurse practitioner, registered nurse, nurse midwife, physician's assistant, chiropractor, dentist, pharmacist or an individual accredited or certified to provide behavioral health services.
"Immediate vicinity." An area in which an individual is physically present with a child and can see, hear, direct and assess the activities of the child.
"Independent contractor." An individual who provides a program, activity or service to an agency, institution, organization or other entity, including a school or regularly established religious organization, that is responsible for the care, supervision, guidance or control of children. The term does not apply to administrative or other support personnel unless the administrative or other support personnel has direct contact with children.
"Indicated report."
"Indicated report for school employee." [Deleted by 2014 Amendment]
"Individual residing in the same home as the child." [Deleted by 2014 Amendment]
"Institution of higher education." Any of the following:
"Intentionally." The term shall have the same meaning as provided in 18 Pa.C.S. § 302 (relating to general requirements of culpability).
"Knowingly." The term shall have the same meaning as provided in 18 Pa.C.S. § 302 (relating to general requirements of culpability).
"Law enforcement official." The term includes the following:
"Mandated reporter." A person who is required by this chapter to make a report of suspected child abuse.
"Matriculated student." A student who is enrolled in an institution of higher education and pursuing a program of study that results in a postsecondary credential, such as a certificate, diploma or degree.
"Near fatality." A child's serious or critical condition, as certified by a physician, where that child is a subject of the report of child abuse.
"Newborn." As defined in section 6502 (relating to definitions).
"Nonaccidental." [Deleted by 2013 Amendment.]
"Parent." A biological parent, adoptive parent or legal guardian.
"Perpetrator." A person who has committed child abuse as defined in this section. The following shall apply:
"Person affiliated with." A person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with a specified person.
"Person responsible for the child's welfare." A person who provides permanent or temporary care, supervision, mental health diagnosis or treatment, training or control of a child in lieu of parental care, supervision and control.
"Police department." A public agency of a political subdivision having general police powers and charged with making arrests in connection with the enforcement of the criminal or traffic laws.
"Police officer." A full-time or part-time employee assigned to criminal or traffic law enforcement duties of a police department of a county, city, borough, town or township. The term also includes a member of the State Police Force.
"Police station." The station or headquarters of a police department or a Pennsylvania State Police station or headquarters.
"Private agency." A children and youth social service agency subject to the requirements of 55 Pa. Code Ch. 3680 (relating to administration and operation of a children and youth social service agency).
"Program, activity or service." Any of the following in which children participate and which is sponsored by a school or a public or private organization:
"Protective services." Those services and activities provided by the Department and each county agency for children who are abused or are alleged to be in need of protection under this chapter.
"Recent act." Any act committed within two years of the date of the report to the Department or county agency.
"Recentact or failure to act." Any act or failure to act committed within two years of the date of the report to the Department or county agency.
"Recklessly." The term shall have the same meaning as provided in 18 Pa.C.S. § 302 (relating to general requirements of culpability).
"Resource family." A family which provides temporary foster or kinship care for children who need out-of-home placement and may eventually provide permanency for those children, including an adoptive family.
"Risk assessment." A Commonwealth-approved systematic process that assesses a child's need for protection or services based on the risk of harm to the child.
"Routine interaction." Regular and repeated contact that is integral to a person's employment or volunteer responsibilities.
"Safety assessment." A Commonwealth-approved systematic process that assesses a child's need for protection or services based on the threat to the safety of the child.
"School." A facility providing elementary, secondary or postsecondary educational services. The term includes the following:
An institution of higher education.
"School employee." An individual who is employed by a school or who provides a program, activity or service sponsored by a school. The term does not apply to administrative or other support personnel unless the administrative or other support personnel has direct contact with children.
"Secretary." The Secretary of Human Services of the Commonwealth.
"Serious bodily injury." Bodily injury which creates a substantial risk of death or which causes serious permanent disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment of function of any bodily member or organ.
"Serious mental injury." A psychological condition, as diagnosed by a physician or licensed psychologist, including the refusal of appropriate treatment, that:
"Serious physical injury." [Deleted by 2013 Amendment.]
"Serious physical neglect." Any of the following when committed by a perpetrator that endangers a child's life or health, threatens a child's well-being, causes bodily injury or impairs a child's health, development or functioning:
"Sexual abuse or exploitation." Any of the following:
This paragraph does not include consensual activities between a child who is 14 years of age or older and another person who is 14 years of age or older and whose age is within four years of the child's age.
"Student." An individual enrolled in a public or private school, intermediate unit or area vocational-technical school who is under 18 years of age.
"Subject of the report."Any child, parent, guardian or other person responsible for the welfare of a child or any alleged or actual perpetrator in a report made to the Department or a county agency under this chapter.
"Substantial evidence." Evidence which outweighs inconsistent evidence and which a reasonable person would accept as adequate to support a conclusion.
"Substantiated child abuse." Child abuse as to which there is an indicated report or founded report.
"Under investigation." A child abuse report pursuant to this chapter which is being investigated to determine whether it is "founded," "indicated" or "unfounded."
"Unfounded report." Any report made pursuant to this chapter unless the report is a "founded report" or an "indicated report."
while a violation of 18 Pa.C.S. § 7508.2 (relating to operation of methamphetamine laboratory) is occurring, provided that the violation is being investigated by law enforcement.
23 Pa.C.S. § 6303